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Alex Barton Case “Teacher’s Suspension Almost Over”/From Outcast To Honor Roll

Jan

22

 Port St Lucie, Florida

Oct 19, 2009 11:17 PM

By Al Pefley  email

Port St. Lucie, FL (WFLX)

New information about a Treasure Coast teacher who ignited controversy nationwide when she let her kindergartners vote an autistic student out of class.

A school district spokeswoman says Wendy Portillo has less than one month to go on her suspension without pay.  It ends November 18.

They haven’t said when or where she’ll be teaching just yet.

Last year while Portillo was a kindergarten teacher at Morningside Elementary in Port St. Lucie she had her students vote a five year old boy out of their class because he was being disruptive.

The boy, Alex Barton, who has a form of autism, now attends a private school and his mother is suing the school system.

Source:  http://www.wflx.com/Global/story.asp?S=11341399

Kindergarten Survivor Goes From Outcast to Honor Roll

Alex Barton was voted out of his kindergarten class for having autism

By TODD WRIGHT
Updated 6:26 PM EDT, Tue, Oct 20, 2009

Alex Barton’s parents always knew he could excel in school. All it took was a little time – and not being cruelly voted out of class.

Barton, now 7, recently made the honor roll at Jupiter Academy in Palm Beach County, just a year and a half removed from making national attention after being outcast from his kindergarten class in a public school like a contestant on Survivor.

“His mom was not surprised, but very thankful that the teachers were able to give Alex the type of education he needed,” said Paul Sopp, the family’s attorney. “This just goes to show Alex could be educated if a proper educational plan was put in place.”

Barton received straight A’s on his report card, his mom Melissa Barton said.

“The difference is just unbelievable. It’s day and night from where he was before,” she said. “There are a lot of children out there that can excel but it really depends on the teachers they have and how dedicated they are. He feels like a part of a family in his classroom.”

Wendy Portillo, the alleged mastermind of the class vote, called for the vote because Barton was disruptive in class, but it turned out the boy had a form of autism. Before the vote, Portillo told the students one by one to tell Barton what they didn’t like about him.

The kids eventually voted to expel him,14-2.

Barton’s parents pulled him out of the school after the incident and has filed a lawsuit against the Palm Beach School Board because of the incident.

The turmoil hasn’t slowed Barton down, as evidenced by his academic achievement. And he is being taught by a first-year teacher to boot, Sopp said.

The second grader was home schooled last year and attends Jupiter Academy on a MacKay scholarship, which provides money for students with special needs to attend a private school, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Source:  http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Kindergarten-Survivor-Makes-Honor-Roll-65027272.html



January 22nd, 2011
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Neuroscience 2009: New Research Highlighted

Jan

22

 Neuroscience 2009

Article Date: 20 Oct 2009 – 5:00 PDT

Research presented at Neuroscience 2009, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health, provides a better understanding of the brain, nervous system, and related disorders.

Specific research just released shows:

  • The benefits of exercise on both the brain and body, and, more specifically, underscores the positive influence of regular physical activity on Parkinson’s disease, depression, premenstrual syndrome, and memory.

  • New tools are enabling researchers to identify neural similarities and differences between species. The findings may help to explain faculties, like language, and diseases, like Parkinson’s, that are unique to humans.

  • New insights into male behavior support the idea that many gender differences lie in the brain and are influenced by both genes and environment.

  • Scientists are developing novel ways to bypass the blood-brain barrier, a network of blood vessels that prevents more than 95 percent of all chemicals from entering the brain from the bloodstream. Researchers describe new methods for transporting drugs across the BBB as well as ways to enhance the brain’s own immune response, which is separated from the body’s immune system by the BBB.

More information on the studies is available at http://www.sfn.org.

Neuroscience 2009 is a multifaceted exchange of important science research across biological, behavioral, psychological, and chemical disciplines.

For more information visit:
Neuroscience 2009 Web site:http:// www.sfn.org/am2009

Source:
Kat Snograss
Society for Neuroscience

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167981.php



January 22nd, 2011
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NYTimes: A Miscellany Of Modern Words & Phrases … Aspies and Auties

Jan

22

 River of Words

October 19, 2009 , 11:00 am

Aspies and Auties

Terms used to describe those with Asperger’s syndrome and autism, respectively.

On her New York magazine blog about television, Surf, Emily Nussbaum described a recent thematic trend – “Asperger’s everywhere”:

As far as I can tell, it started with the character of Chloe on 24, but then there was that model on America’s Next Top Model, there’s a contestant with Asperger’s on the Amazing Race, and of course, there’s the magnificent Sheldon on the wonderful Big Bang Theory (which I’m so happy has been getting attention lately).

Later, Nussbaum wrote:

Following up on my Asperger’s post from last week, I’ve noticed two more examples: Brennan and Zach on Bones and the quirky youngest kid on The Middle (who doesn’t have Asperger’s, but seems to be potentially on the spectrum). While Googling to confirm that the writers do indeed intend Brennan to be mildly Aspie, I came across Aspies on TV, an interesting blog by Sarah Abrahamson. Abrahamson notes that Aspies are natural comic foils, given that “much of comedy is based on social interaction and the errors in interaction.”

The author Liane Holliday Willey claims to have coined “Aspie” in her 1999 book “Pretending to be Normal”; she later explained:

I intended for it to connotate images of kind and caring individuals who live lives wrapped in different colors and fluffed with different stuffings.

Although some of those with Asperger’s use the term to refer to themselves, the UK National Autistic Society cautionsaspie.” journalists against referring to someone as “an aspie”.

The word “autie” is similarly used by those with autism. Urban Dictionary credits the term’s prominence to the autistic Australian author and artist Donna Williams, who calls herself the “Artie Autie.”

Read in Full:  http://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/aspies-and-auties/



January 22nd, 2011
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Child’s IQ Matches Einstein’s: Does High IQ Spell Success?

Jan

22

 Einstein

Does High IQ Spell Success?

Being a Brainiac May Not Mean What You Think

By RADHA CHITALE
ABC News Medical Unit
Oct. 14, 2009

A typical 1-and-a-half-year-old might wake up his or her parents in the middle of the night asking for a drink of water or needing to be comforted after a bad dream. But Oscar Wrigley had more pressing things on his mind.

“He was very interested in the Romans at the time, and he came and woke us up and said, ‘Romans built temple of Claudius! Mummy, wear a toga and daddy, wear a helmet!'” said Oscar’s mother Hannah Wrigley, 26, of Reading, Berkshire in the U.K.

Wrigley said she and her husband Joe always knew their alert, curious baby was bright, but intelligence tests administered in July of this year showed that Oscar, now 2-and-a-half, was off the charts smart, with an IQ of at least 160. The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, which was used in Oscar’s case, does not go any higher.

“At four months, we would read real children’s stories and he’d laugh in all the right places,” Wrigley said. “By 18 months, he knew all the British birds. His vocabulary was 600-plus words, where a normal 18-month-old’s is about 20.”

While having the genius potential of Einstein may seem like hitting the mental jackpot, experts say that hitting the familial and social jackpot is just as important for children like Oscar. As it turns out, the conventional wisdom that being smart assures success — academic, financial or otherwise — has little relevance to IQ.

High IQ? You Might Do Well in School

“The best thing IQ measures is the ability to do well in school,” said Alan Kazdin, professor of psychology and director of the Parenting Center and Child Conduct Clinic at Yale University. “At this age, consider it potential. But you have to have the right environment to nurture this.”

A score on an IQ test measures one’s mental abilities in relation to their peer group. IQ tests, of which the two most common are the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Stanford-Binet, come in adult and children’s versions and are similar to standardized tests, such as the SAT.

100 is the average IQ and anything above 140 is considered “genius.”

IQ Tests Don’t Measure Everything

 

But Kazdin pointed out that IQ tests are far less general than the public believes. They test very specific areas of knowledge where vocabulary, pattern recognition and problem solving are most important.

The drawback of such tests is that they cannot measure creativity and practical knowledge in areas such as music, art or athletics. Nor can such tests point out a particular talent.

Frank Lawlis, psychological supervisor of American MENSA, a society for people with high IQ, said the tests can emphasize how many different kinds of intelligence there are, but if there is no way to determine a person’s skill in an area of interest beyond reading and general problem solving, then they will not be recognized by an IQ test.

“We’re going to miss that person’s best intelligence,” Lawlis said.

A nurturing, varied and intellectually stimulating environment helps a bright child to discover areas of interest and apply their substantial mental faculties to them. However, such an environment is entirely controlled by other people, such as parents and teachers, during a child’s formative years.

What Goes On Outside the Brain Is Just as Important

External factors are so influential that studies examining the relationship between environment and IQ have linked the score with everything from breast feeding to medication to parent’s education. Older siblings, for example, develop higher IQs than younger siblings, according to a 2007 study published in the journal Science. Another study from the online journal PLoS linked low I.Q. to older fathers.

But Kazdin pointed out that stereotypes linked to “smart” kids — that they are fond of math and science, that they are socially awkward — are outdated and imply that proficiency in one area demands a lack in other areas.

“The idea that if you’re really good at this then you’re horrible at the other thing is not necessarily true at all,” Kazdin said.

Still, conditions including Asperger’s syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which are sometimes present in those with high IQ, may perpetuate such stereotypes.

Some Children Feel Isolated When They Can’t Connect

 

“Any time you deviate from the normal group, you’re going to feel ostracized,” Lawlis said.

Hannah Wrigley said her son can feel the difference.

“I think he knows he’s a bit different from his friends,” she said, adding that, while Oscar makes efforts to try and talk to other children in his play group, he often ends up sitting alone and playing by himself.

“He asks questions about why they do the things they do and I tell him they’re little,” Wrigley said. “And he says, ‘They’re not little, they’re the same as I am…’

“I do feel a bit sad about that sort of thing.”

Wrigley said that, for now, Oscar might prefer to chat with adults about subjects that interest him, such as global warming or chess, and choose to play physical games with friends his own age. But she added that providing him opportunities to make friends and socialize will help combat potential isolation.

“I think he will end up having lots of different friends for different things,” Wrigley said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/high-iq-spell-success/story?id=8821819



January 22nd, 2011
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Autistic Boy Saves His Teacher’s Life

Jan

22

 Hyde Elementary School

Thursday, October 15, 2009 | 9:47 AM

By Kevin Quinn

HOUSTON (KTRK) — A local 10-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero. He says he used what he learned in Cub Scouts to save his teacher’s life. The amazing young man explained to Eyewitness News how he reacted in an unusual situation with maturity well beyond his years.

Kyle Forbes, 10, is no ordinary kid. Most everyone will agree upon that. But now he’s being honored by his school and his Scout pack for springing into action Tuesday to save his teacher’s life.

For Hyde Elementary School teacher Sheri Lowe, every day teaching art class now is a gift.

“He saved my life,” said Lowe.

It was about 10am Tuesday when she and Kyle were alone in her classroom. Lowe was eating an apple and choked. They showed us how he reacted.

“And I was choking and he squeezed me like that twice. The first time it didn’t work, so he goes, ‘I got it, Mrs. Lowe.’ And he does it again, and he does it exactly the right way and the apple came out,” said Lowe.

Kyle says he learned the Heimlich maneuver last year in Cub Scouts and that his dad reinforced the teaching.

“I just knew what to do immediately and I just like hurried over there and did it exactly right,” said Kyle.

Lowe calls Kyle her hero, and it’s a title he’s happy to accept.

“Let’s get back to the interview about the hero thing,” said Kyle. “I mean, that was the first time I’ve ever saved someone’s life, in an accident. That’s the first time I’ve ever done it.”

Kyle is autistic. He has a passion for learning and like any child he wants to fit in.

“Before I was just like a normal kid, always being picked on. Then I was like a superhero. Everybody was cheering me when I came down to the office to get an award. Everyone clapped at me when I got back,” said Kyle.

Read in Full(Includes Video):  http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7065148



January 22nd, 2011
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Happiness: “This Emotional Life” Features Sonographer Jason Ross(AS)

Jan

22


“A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin;
what else does a man need to be happy?”
Albert Einstein


Producers of New PBS Series Joined By Experts to Reveal Science Behind Happiness


This Emotional Life Series to Provide Help and Hope to Millions of Americans


NEW YORK, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ — Psychologists and individuals profiled in the new PBS documentary This Emotional Life joined best-selling author and Harvard professor Daniel Gilbert at the Paley Center for Media in New York for a discussion on what scientists have learned about how early life moments can shape a lifetime pursuit of happiness.


“The secrets of happiness aren’t secrets anymore,” said Gilbert, psychologist and host of the series, which is a co-production of Vulcan Productions and the WGBH/NOVA Science Unit. “As scientists now know, social relationships, more than any other factor, are the key to human happiness.”


This Emotional Life unfolds across three, two-hour episodes, exploring ways we can improve our social relationships, cope with negative emotions such as depression and anxiety and become more positive, resilient individuals. Each episode weaves together the compelling personal stories of ordinary people and the latest scientific research, along with revealing comments from celebrities such as Chevy Chase, Larry David, Elizabeth Gilbert, Alanis Morissette, Katie Couric and Richard Gere.


At the midday briefing, Senior Executive Producer Richard Hutton of Vulcan Productions and Executive Producer Dyllan McGee of Kunhardt McGee Productions provided a preview of “Families, Friends and Lovers,” the first episode, which explores how human relationships go right, how they go wrong and what we can do to improve them.


“The human stories in this series are deeply moving; they open a window into our very nature, helping us understand why we behave the way we do,” said Hutton.


“This Emotional Life is about human connections and understanding how our social interactions are deeply wired in our brains,” said Paula Apsell, Senior Executive Producer, WGBH/NOVA Science Unit. “The series looks at the latest, cutting-edge biological and social science behind our human nature to help us better understand what drives our emotions and what can lead us to happiness.”


“With This Emotional Life we wanted to explore some of the problems real people are dealing with, what science tells us about the nature of those problems and how individuals can address these problems,” added McGee. “What we found out is that good social relationships play an important role in improving our overall wellbeing.”


Psychologist Dr. Jessica Zucker provided insights into how research on human emotions has informed her work with mothers and infants. “We are just beginning to understand scientifically the importance of parent – infant interactions in laying the foundation for healthy relationships with siblings, friends, co-workers and lovers,” Zucker said.


The panel also included Lois Ross, who appears in the documentary with her son Jason, a 29 year-old sonographer living in New York who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a neurological disorder that makes it difficult to read others’ emotions. Ross is among several parents profiled in This Emotional Life who have helped their children understand social and relationship skills that did not come naturally.


“There’s one thing about Jason and it always warms my heart,” Ross said. “He never gives up. In the face of adversity, he just keeps going along.”


In the series, viewers have a front-row seat with panelist Dr. Xavier Amador as he worked with a couple who made a connection, but are now struggling to save it.


“Our ability to sustain and grow healthy relationships get tested almost daily when we pick a life partner and start out own family,” Amador said. “Research shows that many people can heal and nurture failing relationships by applying well studied, but underutilized, psychological principles. Marriage therapy is a tremendously important, powerful tool to which more people should become open.”


The film is complemented by a content-rich website, www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife, designed by New York digital communications firm Method. It provides vetted resources and opportunities to build social support networks around topics highlighted in the series, such as the importance of early attachment, how to heal strained or damaged relationships, PTSD, stress, depression, grief, resilience and our pursuit of happiness.


Read in Full:

http://www.kotatv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11281292&nav=menu411_8_11



January 22nd, 2011
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News 15th October, 2009.

Jan

22

 Swallow's Nest on Aurora Cliff, Crimea, Ukraine
HEADLINES

“Parents of girl, 8, found hanged in her bedroom are arrested over her death”:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1217471/Parents-girl-8-hanged-bedroom-arrested-death.html?ITO=1490&referrer=yahoo

“Friends say slain man was a ‘really good kid”:

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Friends+slain+Quadra+Street+apartment+really+good/2080620/story.html

“Fla. To seek death for 4 accused of killing couple”:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/apheadlines/nation/story/913898.html

“Officer resigns after alleged beating of special needs student caught on tape”:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/08/special.needs.student.beating/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

“Man despaired over moving autistic son, wife says”:

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/10/09/edmonton-wife-speaks-lack-of-support-autistic-boy.html

“Controversy over custody of mentally challenged rape victim in Chandigarh”:

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/controversy-over-custody-of-mentally-challenged-rape-victim-in-chandigarh_100255149.html

“Chandigarh rejects aid for mentally challenged rape victim”:

http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-129725.html

“Lawsuit: Ind. Teacher gave autistic boy peanuts, hoped allergy would make him too ill for trip”:

http://www.startribune.com/nation/63888747.html

“No jail time over hot sauce incident … A special education teacher in Miami Lakes, Fla., will serve two years probation for slipping hot sauce in an autistic student’s soda, the child’s parents say.”:

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_212260881.shtml?ref=rss

“Police dog attack on child inspires lawsuit”:

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20091015/ARTICLE/910151081/-1/NEWSSITEMAP

“Judge: Autistic boy, 3, can return to parents after he was lost for 9 hours, wandering West Palm Beach street”:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/westpalm/content/local_news/epaper/2009/10/13/1013wanderingboy.html

“Child, 9, found wandering neighborhood”:

http://www.wsmv.com/news/21272758/detail.html

High Meadows “Sick business”:

http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=15099

“Pilot dispute over landing angle caused killer Saskatchewan crash: federal report”:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Flight+crews+need+better+training+Transportation+Safety+Board/2103072/story.html

“Fight to save Adur Special Needs project starts well”:

http://www.midsussextimes.co.uk/worthing-news/Fight-to-save-Adur-Special.5726995.jp

“Gary McKinnon Updates: Computer hacker Gary McKinnon loses fight to stand trial in UK”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/gary_mckinnon_updates_mother_of_scots_computer_hacker_to_sp.htm

“Please Distribute: Letters to the Sponsors, Donors and Supporters of Autism Speaks”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/fwd_please_distribute_letter_to_the_sponsors_donors_and_s.htm

“ASAN-Central Ohio protests Autism Speaks in Columbus”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/this_sunday_asancentral_ohio_protests_autism_speaks_in_col.htm

“Guide dog age limit to be dropped”:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8287631.stm

“Blind boy uses his ears to see (Includes Video)”:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/8291573.stm

“You don’t need sight to have vision”:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/12/sight-vision-gordon-brown

“Blind woman conquers Great Wall”:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8294488.stm

“Blind man thankful for new companion”:

http://www.thewesternstar.com/index.cfm?sid=294318&sc=25

“Henshaws Society for Blind People”:

http://henshaws.live.rss-hosting.co.uk/

Carers “The Mirror launches new campaign to give 6 million carers proper earnings”:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/10/12/who-cares-the-mirror-does-and-so-should-you-115875-21740827/

RESEARCH & HEALTH

“Study: 1 in 91 children diagnosed with autism”:

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=122821

“Autism associated with single-letter change in genetic code”:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007131210.htm

“Stanford scientist’s new findings of autism-associated synapse alterations lead to coveted NIH grant”:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Stanford-Scientists-New-bw-751718194.html?x=0&.v=1

“Center for Autism and Related Disorders Research Study finds chewing gum an effective treatment for rumination in autistic children”:

http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release-rss/center-for-autism-and-related-disorders-research-study-finds-chewing-gum-an-effective-treatment-for-rumination-in-children-with-autism-118484.php

“Evaluations shows Kidsmatter a success, Australia”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/evaluation_shows_kidsmatter_a_success_australia.htm

“$50 million for kids’ mental health care in limbo”:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/million+kids+mental+health+care+limbo/2081016/story.html

“Long term effects of bullying in boys and girls”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/long_term_effects_of_bullying_in_boys_and_girls.htm

“Leading Psychologists share latest research with students in London … New research into autistic spectrum disorder and special abilities in arts, music and poetry is just one of the fascinating topics that will be presented at the British Psychological Society’s student lecture in London on 8th December 2009.”:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166807.php

“Lincoln and his depressions/Free online depression screening effective in connecting at risk people with treatment resources”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/lincoln_and_his_depressionsfree_online_depression_screening.htm

“Blues Begone, Therapy Dependency, Epilepsy & Depression, Childhood Trauma, Pregnancy & More …”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/blues_begone_therapy_dependency_epilepsy__depression_chi.htm

“Mental illness diagnosis in just one hour”:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26211923-23289,00.html

“PTSD: Scientists find new research on the brain and fear that could help victims of PTSD & further research”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/ptsd_scientists_find_new_research_on_the_brain_and_fear_tha.htm

“Epilepsy & Behavior: Stairway to Loving”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/epilepsy__behavior_stairway_to_loving.htm

“Abstract: Panic disorder and social anxiety disorder subtypes in a caffeine challenge test”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/abstract_panic_disorder_and_social_anxiety_disorder_subtype.htm

“Studies explore the health benefits of pets”:

http://www.reflector.com/features/studies-explore-the-health-benefits-of-pets-883380.html

“5 ways highly sensitive people can live in an insensitive world/Emotions & Sensitivity: An interview with Michael Jawer”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/5_ways_highly_sensitive_can_live_in_an_insensitive_worldemo.htm

“The Relationship Dance”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/the_relationship_dance.htm

“Virtual Hospital”:

http://www.uihealthcare.com/vh/

EDUCATION

“Tasering: The new terror in our schools/Cases of taser use relevant to the Autism Community”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/education_tasering_the_new_terror_in_our_schoolscases_of_.htm

“Outdoors essential for kids’ learning”:

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/148980/

“South Florida autistic students are outsiders no more”:

http://www.miamiherald.com/295/story/1281784.html

“Parents call for special ed reform”:

http://www.yumasun.com/news/parents-53494-yuma-appealed.html

“Wandsworth-run Bradstow autism school wins European prize”:

http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/news/4667281.Wandsworth_autism_school_wins_European_prize/

“Film tackles SEN bullying”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/film_tackles_sen_bullying.htm

“A Student’s Perspective: Common problems of learning disabled college students”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/a_students_perspective_common_problems_of_learning_disable.htm

“Ed Balls officially opens Treehouse’s Pears National Centre for Autism Education”:

http://www.24dash.com/news/Education/2009-10-06-Ed-Balls-offically-opens-TreeHouses-Pears-National-Centre-for-Autism-Education

“Bursary helps her finish degree”:

http://www2.canada.com/chilliwacktimes/news/story.html?id=332fa062-2db8-4462-8776-7f23d867d913

Bosnia “Speech pathologists, other educators bring autism expertise to Bosnia”:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_13472998?source=rss

EMPLOYMENT

“NAS ‘Don’t Write Me Off Campaign’/Autistic people condemned to poverty”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/employment_nas_dont_write_me_off_campaignautistic_peopl.htm

“Autistic adults cast adrift”:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6327978/Adult-autism-sufferers-cast-adrift.html

Northern Ireland “Some autistic missed out on jobs”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/northern_ireland__some_autistic_missed_out_on_jobs.htm

“The company that turned disability into an asset”:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/the-company-that-turned-disability-into-an-asset-1801627.html

“Penelope Trunk: Asperger Syndrome in the Office: How I deal with Sensory Integration Dysfunction”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/penelope_trunk_asperger_syndrome_in_the_office_how_i_deal_.htm

“Student turns passion for art into a vocation”:

http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20091015/BUSINESS/910150327/1003

Bangladeshi delegation to visit … Their trip has been organised by the University of Manchester and Manchester City Council, The National Autistic Society, The Fertilizer Association and Greater Manchester Police will be hosting the delegates so they can learn about UK working environments.”:

http://www.asianimage.co.uk/northwest/4667164.Bangladeshi_delegation_to_visit_Manchester/

“Gender discrimination in the workplace”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/gender_discrimination_in_the_workplace.htm

“Creative Support Ltd”:

http://www.creativesupport.co.uk/

“Autelligent Laboratories

We believe all people have a contribution to make and deserve an opportunity to be productive.

With your caring and excellent help, we are creating jobs for the 40 million people worldwide who are diagnosed with Autism and Asperger Syndrome. Today less than one in five of us are currently employed. We are motivated and competent and we deserve equal employment. Help make this a reality.

Autelligent Laboratories is dedicated to creating a space where autistic software engineers can more than contribute, we can excel.”:

http://www.autlabs.com/

Luxury Quality Scented Candles “Humbolt Candles – Autism & Disability Employment Company”:

http://www.humboldtcandles.com/index.html

“Auties.org”:
Individuality, Diversity, Equality, Achievement

Auties..org is an Aspie & Autie friendly site for all people on the Autistic Spectrum who are ready to dare reach out to occupation and employment, open the doors to the community and market their abilities directly to the public and for those interested in supporting these pioneers.

http://www.auties.org/

“Prospects”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=473&a=2348

“AutismJobs”:
Linking job seekers with vacancies in work related to autism, Aspergers and ASDs

http://www.autismjobs.org/?section=00010009

“Current job vacancies within the NAS”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=170

For further employment information, please view”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/employment_on_the_autism_spectrum.htm

GENERAL/HUMAN INTEREST

“Teen earns kudos dispelling myths about autism”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/teen_earns_kudos_dispelling_myths_about_autism.htm

Diagnosis “Teenager in 70 week wait for autism test”:

http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/10/06/teenager-in-70-week-wait-for-autism-test/

“Man with Asperger’s looks to help others”:

http://www.sctimes.com/article/20091013/NEWS01/110130007/1009

 

Clay Marzo “Wave hello to the surf genius with Asperger’s”:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/wave-hello-to-the-surf-genius-with-aspergers-1797025.html

“Scott James’ childhood hell”:

http://www.teenfi.com/tv/reality/Scott+James-55806.html

Bulgaria’s Karin Dom Foundation “Hand and heart”:

http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/10/02/793053_hand-and-heart/1

Disneyland “Attraction fears: What to do?”:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/9008/Attraction_Fears_Children_and_Parents_What_to_Do

“Pet dog helps autistic child”:

http://www.animalfriends.org.uk/dog_news/pet_dog_helps_autistic_child_19395451.html

Christmas Cards “Support the NAS this Christmas”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=253&a=20447

UKRAINE

Ukraine Flag in L'viv
Ukraine Flag in L’viv
Learn more about L’viv via the following blog. There are two pages of information and pictures – www.irish-guy.com/2006_01_29_archive.html and www.irish-guy.com/2006_01_30_archive.html 

Autism Society of Ukraine
P.O. Box 47
Gorlovka 26
UKR – 338026
UKRAINE
tel: +380 6242 53009

Kiev Opera
Kiev Opera

“Life in Ukraine with Asperger Syndrome”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=120&a=17657

Pechersk Lavra Monastery, Nightfall in Kiev
Pechersk Lavra Monastery, Nightfall in Kiev 

REACHOUT, UK: Autism Society, Gorlovka, Ukraine

“Olga Bogdashina speaks out on Autism issues in the Ukraine”

Since 1994, she has been the director of the first day centre for children with autism in Ukraine and is the president of the Autism Society, Ukraine. Olga is author of Theory of mind and the triad of perspectives on autism and Asperger syndrome and Sensory perceptual issues in autism and Asperger syndrome, both also available from NAS Publications.

http://www.freewebs.com/autismukraine/

http://www.autism.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=542&a=6526

Bohdan
Bohdan Zynovii Mykhailovych Khmel’nyts’kyi  (born c. 1595 — died August 6, 1657) was a hetman of the Zaporozhian Cossack Hetmanate of Ukraine. He led the uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth magnates (1648 – 1654) with the goal of creating an independent Cossack state. In 1654 he concluded the Treaty of Pereyaslav with the Tsardom of Russia, which led to the eventual loss of Ukrainian independence first in the Russian Empire and later in the Soviet Union. 

“Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities in Ukraine”:

http://www.education-inclusive.com/en/index.php

Cossacks at Khortytsa Island
Cossacks were Russian and Ukrainian peasants who had fled from serfdom in Poland, Lithuania, and Muscovy, and established free self-governing military communities in Ukraine and southern Russia.  Learn more …http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cossacks

Cossack, Zaporozhye
Cossack, Zaporizhya 

“Impressions of Disability Awareness in Ukraine”:

http://www.fulbright.org.ua/allday.html

Orthodox Church Architecture, Zaporizhia
Orthodox Church Architecture, Zaporizhya 

“United Nations in Ukraine”:

http://www.un.org.ua/en/

Playing Bandara in Zaporizhya(Historical Base of the Cossacks)
Playing Bandara at Zaporizhya(Historical Base of the Cossacks) 

The Cossacks(Ukrainian Art)
The Cossacks, Ukrainian Art 

“Ukraine Facts, Information & History”:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/countries/country_ukraine.html

Map of Ukraine

“Map of Ukraine”:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/maps/map_country_ukraine.html

Massandra Palace, near Yalta, Crimea
Massandra Palace, near Yalta, Crimea
Learn More … http://www.blacksea-crimea.com/Places/MassandraPalace1.html

“Ukraine News”:

http://ukrainedaily.com/

Weaving Master Class
Weaving Master Class – Folk Art Festival “Karpats’ky Vernisazh”

“Mirjam’s Photoblog – Daily Photography from Life in Ukraine and Finland”:

http://miri.aminus3.com/

Ukrainian Homes
Ukrainian Homes
The Ukraine has some unique architecture. Some homes look like they came right out of Smurfville or Disneyworld. In other parts of Ukraine, the buildings are all concrete, blocky, and throwbacks to Soviet government-mandated design, so it is nice to see a reminiscent style of architecture that seems to blend the olde world and the modern.

“Kiev Daily Photo”:

http://www.kievdailyphoto.blogspot.com/

Squirrel, Ukraine
Squirrel, Striyskiy Park, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine

ADD/ADHD

Australia “ADHD medications ‘making kids suicidal”:

http://www.australiannews.net/story/553767

“Help Group Summit 2009 on autism, learning disabilities and ADHD”:

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20091007/Help-Group-Summit-2009-on-autism-learning-disabilities-and-ADHD.aspx

“Mother claims prescription mix-up sickened son”:

http://www.kfvs.com/Global/story.asp?S=11233624

“Academic doping set to rise, warns journal”:

http://www.canada.com/health/Spanish+affected+long+term+health+unborn+babies+Study/2052165/Academic+doping+rise+warns+journal/2055028/story.html

“Parenting Checklist: What to do when your child is diagnosed with ADHD”:

http://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/c/1443/87951/parenting-checklist

“Teens with ADHD, depression risk internet addiction”:

http://www.ktvn.com/Global/story.asp?S=11265065

“ADHD – Not merely an infant condition – Part I”:

http://www.simplehealthguide.com/adhd-not-merely-an-infant-condition-part-i/

“ADHD – Not merely an infant condition – Part II”:

http://www.simplehealthguide.com/adhd-not-merely-an-infant-condition-part-ii/

“Personality Disorder and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder”:

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=31347&cn=8

“Adolescents with ADHD and the Risk of Internet Addiction”:
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=31319&cn=3

“Mindful Approaches for Adult ADHD”:

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=31318&cn=3

ADRES “Adverse Drug Reaction Electronic System(Adverse Drug Reactions Website)”- This website provides patients, doctors, and other medical professionals with a comprehensive examination of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), side effects, and other safety information for both prescription and over-the-counter medications.. Our goal is to allow users of our website make informed decisions when taking (patients) or prescribing (doctors) drugs. We are providing unmatched information and analysis tools.

http://www.adverse-drug-reaction.net/

“adders.org”:
Our objective is to promote awareness to AD/HD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and to provide information and as much free practical help as we can to those affected by the condition, both adults and children, their families in the UK and around the World via this website.

http://www.adders.org/

“ADDISS” The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service…

http://www.addiss.co.uk/index.html

“ADDA”:

http://www.add.org/index.html

“hi2u ADHD Pages”:

http://www..adhd..org.uk/

“CHADD”:

http://www.chadd.org/am/CustomPages/home/CHADD_Home.htm?CFID=2282059&CFTOKEN=38105335&jsessionid=f2303343221169802693562

SPORT

“Father’s autism charity payback”:

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/burtonmail-news/displayarticle.asp?id=454528

“10-kilometre runs”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1816

“Trek the Great Wall of China – 9-18 October 2010”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2356

“Trek to Everest Base Camp- 5-21 November 2010”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2354

 

“Cycle India – 27 November – 6 December, 2009”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1832

“Cycle Cuba – 14-22 March 2010”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2357

“Sky Diving”:

http://www.nas.org.uk/nas/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1726

MUSIC

“Autistic teenager invited to sing alongside opera and jazz stars”:

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Autistic-teenager-invited-to-sing.5694385.jp

“The AutisMusic Project”:

http://www.autismusic.com/

ART

“Brendan Keeley – Freelance Cartoonist & Illustrator’s Work To Go On Display”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/brendan_keeley__freelance_cartoonist__illustrators_work_t.htm

Yvette Prefontaine “Autistic expression through art”:

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=9cea5a62-7eae-4f93-942c-52ef01f4487c

This year’s NAS Christmas Cards are now on sale. There’s a selection of cards, two of which are designed by our competition winners. For fans of Thomas and Friends, there’s also a festive Thomas card. For more information, visit http://www.autism.org.uk/christmascards

GLIMPSE – the talents of the autism community

They are painters, sculptors and photographers; poets and storytellers; musicians and creators of amazing video games. They are kids, teens and adults. Last year, a new online publication arose to celebrate the talents of autistic individuals and other developmental disabilities: GLIMPSE, offered by ICDL (The Interdisciplinary Council of Developmental and Learning Disorders). In late 2008, Volume 2 of GLIMPSE was released, and was expanded into a print book and notecards. The works are serious, humourous, deeply personal and illuminating. See it for yourself, share it with others, submit your own/your child’s work for inclusion in Volume 3, to release later this year. Find information and ordering details at www.icdl.com

“ARTROOM ………where under 17s can make and display art online”:

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/artroom/index.php

MOVIES/ENTERTAINMENT

“Autistic boy stars in children’s blockbuster”:

http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/news/4677667.Autistic_boy_stars_in_children_s_blockbuster/?ref=rss

“Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom …”:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/6275077/Andrew-Lloyd-Webbers-Phantom-suffers-from-Aspergers.html

“Personal captioning equipment now available at Houma movie theater”:

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20091003/ARTICLES/910039958/1026?Title=Personal-captioning-equipment-now-available-at-Houma-movie-theater

“Actors for Autism”:
http://www.actorsforautism.com/

BOOKS

“Nick Dubin: Man writes about life with Aspergers”:

http://aspie-editorial.blog-city.com/nick_dubin_man_writes_about_life_with_aspergers.htm

2009 ASA Literary Work of the Year Award Winner

“Learners on the Autism Spectrum: Preparing Highly Qualified Educators”

Editors: Kari Dunn Buron and Pamela Wolfberg Ph.D.

http://www.asperger.net/bookstore_9504.htm

Coming Soon “Bereavement, Loss and Learning Disabilities: A Guide for Professionals and Carers”

Author: Robin Grey

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849050203

New “Deeno’s Dream Journeys in the Big Blue Bubble: A Relaxation Programme to Help Children Manage their Emotions”

Author: Julia Langensiepen

Illustrated by Gerry Turley

http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849050395

“Understanding Autism for Dummies”

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Autism-Dummies-Temple-Grandin/dp/0764525476

“Joe: The Only Boy in the World”

Author: Michael Blastland

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Joe-Only-World-Michael-Blastland/dp/1861979614

http://www.amazon.com/Joe-Only-World-Michael-Blastland/dp/1861979614

“Autistic Authors, Booklist & Facts”:

http://www.autistics.org/library/booklist.html

MOVIE


“The Princess and the Frog”

November 25, 2009[1] (limited)
December 11, 2009[2] (wide)

Official Teaser[1:02]: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0j7EactM9s

Official Website: http://www2.disney.co.uk/the-princess-and-the-frog/

Synopsis: The classic tale of a princess, a kiss, and a frog gets an update (and a change of scenery) with this film in Disney’s grand tradition of animated classics. DREAMGIRLS’ Anika Noni Rose provides the voice of a beautiful young woman living in New Orleans who may just have to pucker up to an amphibian. THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG arrives not only with Disney’s name attached, but also with THE LITTLE MERMAID directors Ron Clements and John Musker at the helm.

http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/1196003-princess_and_the_frog/

VIDEO GAME


“New Super Mario Brothers (Wii)

Release Date: November 20, 2009.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Super-Mario-Brothers-Wii/dp/B002BRZ9G0/ref=pd_nr_vg_h__22?ie=UTF8&s=videogames

“E3 ’09: New Super Mario Brothers Hitting Wii this Christmas”:

http://news.spong.com/article/18126/E3-09-New-Super-Mario-Brothers-Hitting-Wii-this-Christmas

“First Look At State-Of-The-Art 3D Game”:

http://uk.videogames.games.yahoo.com/blog/article/6564/

SPACE

Saturn's Newest Ring
“New Saturn Ring Is Largest Known; May Solve Moon Puzzle”

A newly discovered, dark ring around Saturn is the largest known planetary ring in the solar system, a new study says.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/10/091007-new-saturn-ring-largest.html

ENVIRONMENT

Anaconda
“Alien Giant Snakes Threaten To Invade Up To 1/3 Of US”

Nine species of giant snakes—none of them native to North America and all popular pets among reptile lovers—could wreak havoc on U.S. ecosystems if the snakes become established in the wild, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/10/091014-giant-snakes-invasion-us.html

Take Care,

Julie

Balaklava Sevastopol(Sunset at "Lost World" Beach nr Cape Ai Ya, Crimea
Balaklava Sevastopol(Sunset at “Lost World” Beach near Ai Ya, Crimea)



January 22nd, 2011
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Long Term Effects of Bullying in Boys and Girls

Jan

22

 

Bullies and Victims: Boys will be boys or a symptom of distress? 

Written by Nestor Lopez-Duran PhD on Wednesday, October 14.2009

Several months ago I reported on a series of studies regarding the long term effects of bullying. See for example a discussion on factors that are associated with being a victim or a bully, or this discussion on the effects of bullying on children with special needs. I also reported on a very interesting study that examine the long term consequences of bullying. Data from that study showed  that being a victim of bullying in middle childhood almost double the odds of having psychotic symptoms during adolescence. In that post I discussed one major limitation of that study. While the data seem to imply that experiencing bullying could play a role (’a causative’ role) in the eventual emergence of psychotic symptoms, it was also possible that those “children who were on path to developing psychotic disorders also engaged in behaviors during early childhood that made them more likely to be victims of bullying.”

This morning I read a study published in a recent issue of the prestigious Archives of General Psychiatry that can help us clarify this issue. The study examined data from the 1981 Finish Birth Cohort study. The study included 5,813 children born in Finland in 1981 and contained data on psychiatric symptoms at age 8, history of bullying at age 8 (from teacher, parents, and self reports), and psychiatric outcomes (hospital treatment,  psychiatric medication use, etc) at age 13 to 24. The authors of the present report were interested in examining whether bullying behaviors at age 8 predicted psychiatric outcomes in adolescents and young adulthood after controlling for psychiatric symptoms at age 8.

Children were classified into 4 groups based on their bullying behavior at age 8, namely: 1) those who were never victims or bullies; 2) those who were bullies only; 3) those who were victims only; 4) those who were both victims and bullies.

The Results:

1. Among females, being a victim (but not a bully) was associated with a significant increase in the risk for later psychiatric hospitalization and psychiatric medication use. Most importantly however, this association was significant even after controlling for the girls’ psychiatric symptoms at age 8. That is, the association between being a victim of bullying and negative psychiatric outcomes could not be accounted for by the presence of psychiatric symptoms in middle childhood.

2. Among males, being a victim (whether alone or when the child is also a bully) was associated with a significant increase in the risk for later psychiatric hospitalization. Further, being both a victim and a bully was associated with an increase in the risk for later psychiatric medication use. However, when the authors controlled for psychiatric symptoms at age 8, being a victim of bullying no longer predicted psychiatric hospitalizations or medication use.

Read More:  http://www.child-psych.org/2009/10/bullies-and-victims-a-risk-for-psychopathology.html



January 22nd, 2011
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Brendan Keeley – Freelance Cartoonist & Illustrator’s Work To Go On Display

Jan

22

 

Brendan’s work to go on display again

Published Date: 14 October 2009
 
THE work of Belper artist Brendan Keeley is to go on show at an exhibition for the second year running.
 
Boundless – Connecting Artists is an annual exhibition which introduces disabled artists to the public and the wider artistic community by exhibiting their work alongside mainstream artists in established arts venues.

This year’s Boundless, which runs for four weeks in November at the Grant Bradley Gallery in Bristol, has attracted national attention, and will feature in the Guardian and the Saatchi gallery magazine.

Brendan, 22, was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and dyslexia when he was 18. He has been working as a freelance cartoonist and illustrator for the past three years, his work appears regularly in magazines and he takes commissions for personalised Christmas cards and logos.

His Christmas cards and prints of his work will be sold at Long Row School on November 27 at its ladies’ Christmas shopping evening and at Woodlands School, in Allestree, for a Christmas fair on November 14.

Examples of Brendan’s work can be seen by logging onto www.brendankeeley.co.uk
 

http://www.belpernews.co.uk/news/Brendans-work-to-go-on.5726114.jp 



January 22nd, 2011
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Northern Ireland – Some Autistic ‘Missed Out On Jobs’

Jan

22

 

Some people with autism in Northern Ireland have spent over a decade without a job or benefits, it has been revealed. 

Only one in ten with the condition have a full-time job. The National Autistic Society wants the government to provide greater help in applying for benefits and looking for work.

A spokeswoman for the society said: “It is completely unacceptable that so many adults with autism are simply being written off and denied the opportunity to reach their individual potential.

“We believe that all adults with autism deserve a job when they can work, benefits when they can’t and a government that leads the way in making this happen.”

Around one in 100 people in Northern Ireland cope with autism and the number of children with it is rising every year. The society surveyed a group of affected adults. It found a third are without a job or benefits and over half have spent time in that position, some for over a decade.

It said 15% had a full-time job but 79% of those on incapacity benefit want to work and 82% of those who applied for benefits said they needed support to do so.

The society called on the Department of Social Development to ensure people applying for benefits are asked at the start of their application whether they have a disability.

It said sick notes for the new Employment and Support Allowance for people who can’t work due to illness should be scrapped. The spokeswoman added: “Autism is a lifelong disability so to require someone to produce a sick note from their doctor is demoralising and inappropriate and for many results in delays in receiving their benefit.”

She said the Department of Employment and Learning should produce an Employment Strategy for people with autism.

“This would raise awareness of autism amongst employers and ensure that the right support is put in place to enable people with autism to access employment and get the support they need to remain in the workplace,” she added.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20091012/tuk-some-autistic-missed-out-on-jobs-f858358.html



January 22nd, 2011
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